Senior Tailings Engineer – Imperial, Edmonton, AB
Location: Edmonton, AB | Company: ExxonMobil
Imperial is hiring a Senior Tailings Engineer to support the planning and management of tailings systems within its oil sands operations. The position may be based in Edmonton or Calgary, Alberta, and focuses on developing safe, practical, and environmentally responsible tailings deposition strategies.
This senior engineering opportunity is available within Imperial’s mid-range and long-range planning teams. The successful candidate will coordinate with mine planning, geotechnical engineering, field operations, water management, and closure specialists to ensure tailings plans remain aligned with production requirements, available storage capacity, construction schedules, and regulatory obligations.
Supporting Long-Term Tailings Planning
The Senior Tailings Engineer will help translate mine production forecasts and geotechnical requirements into detailed deposition plans that can be implemented safely by operational teams. The role involves evaluating multiple planning scenarios, identifying constraints, and recommending approaches that balance production needs with water management, storage availability, dyke development, and closure considerations.
Because tailings planning affects several areas of mine performance, this position requires regular collaboration with technical and operational stakeholders. The engineer must communicate complex planning information clearly and provide guidance that allows field execution to remain consistent with approved engineering intent.
Key Areas of Responsibility
The role combines technical planning, multidisciplinary coordination, operational support, stakeholder communication, and leadership of junior engineering professionals.
Tailings Deposition Planning
Develop and maintain detailed tailings deposition plans that support mine production objectives while accounting for geotechnical requirements, available capacity, and regulatory expectations.
Mine Plan Integration
Coordinate tailings strategies with mine sequencing, dyke construction schedules, mineral extraction plans, water management requirements, and longer-term asset development priorities.
Scenario Evaluation
Assess alternative deposition and storage scenarios, identify technical risks or constraints, and recommend practical solutions that support safe and efficient mine operations.
Technical Communication
Prepare schedules, presentations, schematics, and visualizations that explain tailings plans, planning assumptions, operational impacts, and recommended actions to management and stakeholders.
Field Operations Support
Provide technical guidance to operational teams and help resolve issues where actual field conditions, construction progress, or production requirements differ from planning assumptions.
Team Development
Coach and mentor junior staff, review technical work, share planning knowledge, and contribute to improvements in tailings tools, workflows, standards, and engineering practices.
Education and Engineering Experience
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geological Engineering, or a closely related discipline. A Professional Engineer designation or eligibility for registration with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta is required.
Imperial is seeking candidates with at least eight years of experience in tailings engineering, tailings planning, or tailings operations. Direct oil sands planning experience is preferred because the position requires familiarity with the technical, operational, geotechnical, and environmental considerations associated with large-scale mining operations.
Skills That May Help Candidates Succeed
The Senior Tailings Engineer must combine technical engineering capability with strong coordination, communication, judgement, and leadership skills.
Experience developing deposition schedules, storage plans, construction interfaces, and operational strategies is central to supporting safe and effective tailings management.
The ability to assess competing constraints, evaluate technical alternatives, identify risks, and recommend sound planning decisions is important in this position.
Successful candidates should be comfortable working with mine planning, operations, geotechnical, water management, reclamation, closure, and construction teams.
The role requires the ability to guide junior professionals, review engineering work, establish clear expectations, and influence outcomes across different functional groups.
Previous experience using Deswik and Muk3D may strengthen an application because these tools can support mine scheduling, deposition design, and three-dimensional tailings planning.
Location and Employment Considerations
The position may initially be based in Calgary or Edmonton. Imperial states that certain Calgary-based roles are expected to transition to Edmonton around 2028 as part of the company’s long-term business strategy. Employees affected by that transition are expected to receive relocation support.
The posting lists competitive salary, training and mentorship, flexible work hours, a work-from-home policy, relocation assistance when required, and access to employee resource groups. Candidates selected for an interview may be required to complete pre-employment background screening and must submit their most recent unofficial academic transcripts.
How to Apply
Candidates should apply through the official ExxonMobil careers platform. Application materials should clearly demonstrate the required engineering education, professional registration status, tailings experience, and involvement in planning, operations, geotechnical coordination, water management, or mine development.
Applicants who receive an offer must be eligible to work in Canada on a regular full-time basis without restrictions affecting their start date. Imperial may request current and valid documentation confirming Canadian work eligibility before employment begins.